


Take your shot

by Jellysocks



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, Gay Panic, M/M, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Thomas Jefferson Being an Asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25829023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jellysocks/pseuds/Jellysocks
Summary: Alex finds himself being fostered by George and Martha Washington arriving to them broken and alone. Yet maybe he can finally find a new start and gain a family along the way.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens
Comments: 11
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

Alex sat in the back of the car as it turned into a small road full of massive houses that loomed over the oak trees that lined the edges of the pavement. Their leaves of red and orange were slowly beginning to fall to the groud. Alex supposed he was meant to be impressed, the road seemed to have more money than all those that had lived in his village combined. Not that it really mattered anymore, everyone was dead and money was of no concern to the bodies that had been floating in the floodwater. Stop it Alex, he forced the screaming out of his head as the car pulled up and stopped and his social worker let out a long sigh. 

  
"Alex look," Amber Jones ran her hand through her fizzy brown hair before turning around to face him from the driver's seat. "You have to make this one work. The Washington's are good people, we didn't think they would take anymore foster kids on, so please Alex try okay?"

  
Alex gave a small jerk of the head, he'd heard that before. His previous two homes had been with 'nice' people and Alex can still feel the fist connecting with his stomach, the crack of a hand across his cheek, the sound the car trunk had made as it closed on him, trapping him in the dark.

"Come on then lets get a shimmy on, you got your stuff?"

All of his stuff, which honestly wasn't much was crammed into a garbage bag next to him. At fifteen it should have bothered him but Alex had pretty much given up already. There was a chill in the air that whistled through the holes in his jumper as he walked up the long path and the steps up to the doorway. Potted plants and hanging baskets surronded a large red door and Amber almost had to stand on her tip toes to use the large brass knocker. 

THUD THUD THUD.

Alex couldn't look up from his tattered and thread bare trainers. If he could just suck it up for a week he could run away somewhere, anywhere. It didn't matter aslong as he wasn't stuck here with another family.

  
"Mr and Mrs Washington? It's a pleasure to meet you both, this is Alexander Hamilton."

Martha and George opened the door to a small woman with an impressive amount of hair in an ill fitting suit, a black messenger bag slung over one shoulder. 

  
"My name is Amber Jones, we've spoken once or twice."

"Yes, please come in." They moved aside as Amber looked over her shoulder.

"Come on Alex, this wont take long." The young boy didn't look up, but he did move forward, not sure where to place himself. Martha looked over at her husband whose strong jaw was set firm. Alex looked nothing like the photo in his file, which had shown an understandably unhappy yet healthy child.

"As I said this is Alexander Hamilton."

"Alex." The sound drew all the adults eyes on him, but Alex remained looking at his shoes. "My name is Alex." He muttered bitterly, only his mother would call him Alexander, and she was dead. He almost enjoyed the sigh of frustration that Amber let out. 

  
"Nice to meet you Alex," Martha's voice was gentle but he would still not look at them. A gentle voice can be faked.

Amber cleared her throat and carried on as though Alex hadn't spoken. "Alex has been with us for about six months. His mother passed away last year from a quick sickness and he was left in the care of his uncle and cousin who perished in Nevis when hurricaine Igor decimated the island. His father was of American descent so he was entered into our foster care system." She spoke robotically, as though she was reading the news, not explaining how a fifteen year had lost everything he had ever known within a year.

"Yes, we've read the file." George said, the woman seemed utterly clueless. Alex's hands were clenched around the black bag so hard that the poor boy's knuckles had turned white.

"Of course, the office's number is in the file, as well my own personel number. If there are any problems please contact me. We will be in touch with you soon to see how things are going." Amber turned to face Alex, giving up on trying to get any sort of reaction. "That goes for you to Alex okay?"

Martha bid the woman farewell as George studied their latest charge. Long dark hair hung down a thin face too young to be sporting the purple shadows under his eyes. He could have been tall yet the old oversized jumper and jeans dwarfed him and made him seem smaller as well how he hunched in on himself. New clothes would definitly be needed. Alex also looked as though he could do with a few good hearty meals in him.

"Alex." George waited until the teen finally looked him in the eyes, the boy may not have known it but there was a small scowl etched into his serious face. Brown eyes glinted with a spark that George knew all to well, the boy was smart and judging them.

"My name is George, this is my wife Martha."

"Hello Alex." Martha smiled next to her husband, they were dressed smartly in office wear and Alex wanted to believe they were nice people. George was a tall dark man with close cropped hair, his chest large and his hands even bigger. His wife just about coming up to his chest even with the small heels she wore. 

"Erm hi." It felt rude to just ignore them, and Alex was keenly aware of the punishments for being rude.

"Would you like to have a little tour and to see your room?" Martha asked, neither of them had moved, Alex had the look of a deer that would bolt at anytime.

"Sure..I mean please." George took the bag of clothes from him and Alex was again struck by how large the man was. It was going to hurt when those fists hit him. He followed them around the house to the sitting room, reception room, a dining room with the largest table Alex had ever seen and even George's office looked as though it was bigger than Alex's old house. The mahongany desk taking up the majority of the room with several filing cabinets surronding it, bookshelves lined the wall heaving under the weight they held. Each room was filled with soft carpets and comfortable looking sofas or chairs, pictures and paintings lined the walls and heat filled all the rooms from vents with soft wooshes. The kitchen had appliances Alex had never seen before as Martha showed him where the glasses and cutlery was so he could help himself if he wanted to.

They made their way upstairs and Alex studied the pictures on the wall, mainly of Martha and George in tuxes and ballgowns, glasses of champagnes in their hands as they smiled for the camera. There was a small boy in some of them, ice cream covering his chubby cheeks as Martha held him on her hip.

  
"Mine and George's room is just down the hall if you need us, this is your room. We figured you'd like to be opposite our son."

Martha opened the door and allowed Alex to go in first, the room was again huge, with a big double bed in the centre and a soft blanket drapped on top. A desk and table was set up by the window, over looking the garden and a small ensuite off to the side. The walls were a nice dark blue and everything just seemed to good to be true.

"Too much," Alex whispered. "It's too much."

"Alex honey it's okay." Martha put a slender hand on his shoulder slowly, feeling more bone than she would have liked. Alex didn't pull away, but she felt the small trembles run through out his body.

"I can't..."

"You can't what Alex?" George's deep rumble eased some of the tension as long as the man stayed still. Men of George's size could still move quickly when they wanted to and Alex had no way of escape.

Alex wasn't sure exactly what was wrong, everything just seemed too nice, too much and it was going to be even more painful when the other shoe dropped and it will. It always seemed to. Anyone who had ever wanted him was dead. Alex was too broken now.

"Alex?" Martha was looking at him with concerned hazel eyes, strands of her auburn hair coming lose from the smart bun on top of her head. "This room is for you, it's yours. Your bed, your desk, your wardrobe. When you're settled properly we can go shopping so you can pick some things out."

Alex looked at George who had pulled a face, "Martha and Lafaytte will go shopping with you."

"George hasn't shopped this past decade, I don't think he remembers how." Martha whispered at the man's affronted gasp.

"Lafayette?" Alex asked, smothering the chuckle that almost escaped.

"Our son," George explained. "He's a year older than you, he'll be home from school soon."

"Why don't you take some time to get settled honey and we'll get some dinner ready." Martha ushered George out the room. "Feel free to explore though, it's your house now as well."

Alex stood there alone, unsure of what to do. 

\-----------------------  
So I recently watched and Hamilton, and then quickly became obssessed, and read some awesome foster fanfics and thought hey why not write a fancfiction about it (looking at all my other things to write as well.) The story is finished, and I'll post a new chapter every few days/week. Please excuse all American politics in it (I'm British.) 


	2. Chapter 2

Martha couldn't find it in her heart to dissaprove of the small whiskey that her husband had poured himself. They had seen a fair few things as a senator and a lawyer, they had seen what the foster system was capable of. They had taken in children and cared for them and kissed them as they found their forever families or went back to their previous home, they had found it unusual to have been asked so despertaly to take in another child when it had been almost five years since but had agreed when they had seen Alex's file. Martha had never seen a child look so lost, alone and terrified. Alex had been dragged through hell for almost a year. 

"Oh George that poor boy."

George swirled the liquid around the ice in his glass, glad he had taken the next few days out of the office. "His photo in his file Martha, it doens't even look like the same child." Alex was underweight, more than likely malnourished and looked as though he hadn't slept in months. He was nervous and unsure of himself. 

"Two other foster homes in such a short amount of time, after everything that he's been through. Moving to a new country, losing everything...you can't even imagine."

Pots and pans banged onto the countertops as measuring jugs made an appearance. George knew his wife liked to cook when she was upset, or when other people were upset, or when there was any emotion of any kind. It looked as though they were all going to be adding on some pounds alongside Alex.  
  
  
\------------  
Filler chapter as I've forgotten how to edit it so save as multiple chapters- Lafayette is up next!


	3. chapter 3

Alex lay on the bed for the rest of the afternoon. His clothes lay untouched in the bag on the floor as there didnt seem to be any point in unpacking, there didn't seem to be any point in exploring the house. Alex didn't belong here with all this finery, he wasn't sure he belonged anywhere. He was dozing on and off when there was was a quick knock at the door that sounded like rapid gunfire. Before Alex had a chance to answer the door burst open and a tall, thin boy in a black school uniform with a large amount of light brown curly hair strode in. 

  
"Bonjour," he exclaimed standing at the end of the bed.

The soft lilt to his voice had Alex tilting his head. "You're french?"

  
"Oui, that means yes," a grin showed off too many white teeth.

  
"I know what it means," Alex scowled as he forced himself to sit up.

"The name's Lafayette, you must be Alexander." He stuck a hand out and Alex took it warily. There had been children at the other homes, children could be nasty vicious creatures no better than their parents. There had been children at his other schools who had made life a living hell.

"Alex, you're George and Martha's son."

"Yup, they adopted me about ten years ago, been here ever since." Lafayette looked around the room. "You been in here all day?"

"Ermm yeah." Alex balled his fingers into fists, the nails digging into the palms of his hands as anxiety pricked at him. 

"Come on, I have an xbox in my room, we can play till dinner time." If the other boy could sense Alex's unease he made no mention of it.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, homework can wait. It's only some of the stuff dad has worked on. I can ask him at dinner, should be no trouble." Lafayette barged into his own room before shrugging off his blazer and flinging it over his own desk chair. His room was set out the same to the one Alex was in, only looking as though a teenage boy lived in there. Books, clothes and papers littered the floor while pictures and movie posters filled in every blank space on the wall.

"You mean George?"

"Yup," Lafayette bounced on the end of his bed, shuffling over so Alex could sit down as well and handed him a controller. 

"Dad's the senator of Virgina." Alex had very little knowledge of American poilitcs, Nevis' had been relativley easy to keep up with much to the disdain of his mom who had begged Alex to take up other interests. However even Alex had heard of senators.

"The senator?"

"Yeah," Lafayette waved a hand towards the tv "we gonna play or what?" Alex tried to turn his attention to the game but all he could wonder was what the hell he had gotten himself into.

xxx

"Boys! Dinner!" Martha called out, placing the jug of water on the table after filling up the glasses. Laf trampled down the stairs as though he was his own personal herd of elephants, anything that boy did he did it loudly.

"Mama, Papa!" Laf bounced into the dining room and placed a kiss on Martha's cheek.

"What have you done young man?"

"You wound me- oo bread." Laf sat down with a whole roll in his mouth even as he picked another one up.

George rolled his eyes "Come and sit down Alex before Laf eats it all."

"I would never...actually it's a valid worry, park it mister."

Alex moved slowly, stomach rolling at the sight and smell of so much food. Feeling as though he was interupting them all. Was he really allowed to sit down or was this a trick? There had been food before, of a fashion when he had cleaned well enough to be allowed to eat. Never sitting down at a table though. That was a family thing, and it had been made clear to Alex that he was not family.

"C-can I?" Alex almost missed the looks of the family infront of him shared. Small quick worried glances and his cheeks began to redden. Stupid, he'd been so stupid. "I-never mind. I'm not hungry." Alex felt hot and sick and wanted the ground to swallow him whole.

"Of course you can sit down, it was very polite of you to ask." Martha said softly and Alex took a seat next to Laf, George was at the head of the table on the otherside of him. A plate of food was placed infront of him as well as a couple of bread rolls. 

"Eat what you can." Martha sat down opposite the boys as the others began to dig in. It was silent for a moment, except for the sound of cutlery on plates and Alex just took a moment to watch it all.

"Anything interesting happen at school today?" Martha asked, her eyes kept glancing at Alex who had eventually picked up a piece of bread, but seemed more content to stare at it than eat it.

"Not really, just more homework. Some if was stuff dad's worked on, so you know, nothing too interesting." Lafayette grinned into his dinner as George once again rolled his eyes at his son.

"Oh har har."

"Are you really a senator?" Alex asked before he could convince himself not to speak.

George could see that spark in those brown eyes, the cogs in the brain working. "I am yes, are you interested in politics?"

"Say no, say no please." Laf stage whispered and Alex couldn't help the snort of laugher.

"I'm not sure, I've read what I coud but not much." Nevis' library had been lacking, although Sandra the head and only librarian had always given him a few biscuits. Dead. She was dead now. Alex swallowed the food in his mouth around the growing lump in his throat, _try not think about them_ was the mantra that echoed through his head.

"George is helping to push a new legislation through for war veterans." Martha smiled.

"The Iraq war?" Alex sat up straighter, shaking away the dark thoughts and taking another small bite. "Or all veterans?"

"All veterans, I wont bore you too much. It can be hard getting something like this off the ground, you need backers before it can be put to senate to vote on."

"Nevis has unicameral ligislature, no deadlocks, but it meant not everyone was looked after the same." Alex wasn't sure why he was talking about his home country, it was almost like a physical ache thinking about them too much.

"I thought you didn't know anything about politics?" "Lafayette asked.

"Well not American politics, but I learned about the politics of where I lived." Alex pointed out, as though this was what every fifteen year old did. It was George's laugh, loud and booming that startled him. Alex jumped, his hand knocking over the glass of water at his side, bread roll going flying.

Martha stood to get a towel and George moved to pick the glass up when everybody froze. Alex had thrown his arms over his head, covering his face, chin pressed so far into chest George was worried the boy would leave a bruise.   
"Alex?" Martha spoke slowly, still not moving when all she wanted to do was wrap the boy up in a hug.

Alex sat trembling but he couldn't answer, he couldn't lower his arms. They could still swing for him, he'd made a mess. He'd been careless. So careless. Oh it was going to hurt so much. "I'm sorry." He whispered, not that it mattered. Sorry got you no where, crying only got you more punches. Or a hand pressed over your mouth so hard you couldn't breathe. The burning of a cigarette on his arm, better than an ash tray apparently. Alex had only argued once, and he had soon learnt not to do that again.

"I-I." Oh god he can't talk. He can feel the trembling in his shoulders, the waiting worse than the blows.

"Alex?"

"Laf, give us a minute." 

The sound of footsteps, they were sending Lafayette away. A large hand on his should made him jerk back in the chair, but there was no pressure. It was warm and gentle.

"Alex, put your arms down son it's okay." It's George talking to him, his deep voice tinny in the fog. The man is kneeling at his side, waiting but Alex can't fight the fear, he can't hear well over the pounding of his own heart. 

"Alex. Listen to me. Really listen. Can you do that?" He tries to nod, but his whole body jerks instead and he can't take back the whimper that forces it's way out of his mouth. He's dimly aware that he's crying. "You are not in trouble. You are safe. My hand is on your shoulder, can you feel it?"

  
Alex can, and it still doesn't hurt, and slowly he lowers his arms and places them heavily in his lap and it feels as though his bones have been taken out and replaced with cement.  
George is still there, smiling encouragement. "Good, now breathe for me Alex, in and out, in and out. Count them for me."

"One...two...three." Alex feels the fear in his chest losen and the exhaustion takes place instead. His body running a marathon and not being allowed to stop and now everything has come to a crashing hault. He tries to apologise again, tries to offer to help clean up but his eyes are closing and Alex can't seem to make them open again.

George catches Alex before he can hit the floor. "Call doctor Roydon," he orders as Martha grabs her phone and dials the number. He can her talking in the background as his places his fingers on the boy's thin neck. A pulse thrums beneath his fingers and George sighs in relief, it's got to be exhaustion, but as he picks up Alex's slight frame with ease worry nags at him. A hospital would be worse for Alex, waking up to doctors and machines, but he needs to looked at. Roydon had been a family friend for years, if he recommended the hospital than so be it. 

"Dad?" Lafayette is in the doorway, face pale but wanting to help.

"Can you go and open Alex's bedroom door for me?" He carefully makes his way upstairs, Martha following him as they ease Alex out of his jumper and place him on the bed. "Laf can you go keep an ear out for doctor Roydon and let him up when he's here?" 

Lafayette hovers behond the door for, he had seen anxiety attacks before but never anything this younger boy had been struck by. He was hesitant to leave for the moment, something in him wanting to protect this boy, worry niggling at him as he played with his hair.

"George look." Martha doesn't need to point out the fading yellow bruises that litter Alex's scrawny arms or the small circular burn marks by his right elbow.

"Who could do such a thing?" Martha covers her mouth with her hand.

"Exactly what I would like to know. He thought I was going to beat him, like I was hitting a fully grown man. " Not that George would even do that anymore, he had been known for his fighting a life time ago when his temper had been fueled by his youth and belief he was invunerable.

Martha sits on the bed, running her fingers through Alex's hair, it was damp with sweat. "He ate like a bird, like he didn't know how to eat that much. He's fifteen, he should be shoveling it in."

"What fifteen year old knows what unicameral legislature is?" 

"He knows french." A small voice came from Alex's doorway. Lafayette stood leaning againt the frame, his hair pulled into a tight bun. "When we were playing xbox I kept saying stuff, I never even realised it was french first cause Alex just kept replying."

The front door knocked heavily and the boy took off to go and answer it.


	4. chapter 4

Alex woke up slowly, warm and safe in the blankets that cocooned him. His head however felt like he had been run over by a truck, his limbs feeling sluggish and heavy. All he could remember was sitting at the table, how had he ended up in bed?

The water, he'd spilled a glass of water and he'd had a full blown panic attack infront of everyone. He screwed his eyes tighter, maybe he could just go back to sleep and avoid this forever. Maybe the bed could swallow him whole.

"Alex?" George was sitting in a chair by the side of the bed, no longer in his suit but a faded univerity of Virgina t-shirt and sweats. Also looking as though he hadn't slept at all last night, stuble was starting to pepper the man's jawline.

"I'm really sorry." Alex croaked, he wouldn't cry again even as his eyes welled up. 

"You don't have anything to be sorry for kiddo." 

Alex sat up slowly, he was wearing just his t-shirt and some pyjama trousers that definitly did not belong to him. His jumper and jeans were folded on the back of the desk chair. They'd seen his bruises, his scars, they'd know how awful he was now. How damaged and beyond repair. 

"How are you feeling honey?" Martha walked into the room with a tray and placed it over his lap. A glass of orange juice and a small bowl of porridge. The sight made his stomach turn.

"I'm not h-"

"Sweetheart, we called a doctor out last night." Marthat sat down in the chair her husband vacated for her.

"You did?"

"We had to." George placed his hands on his hips. "You need to eat young man, you need to put some weight on and rest. You collapsed because you're so exhausted. Luckliy we've kept you out of hospital for now, but if it comes to that so be it." George placed a hand on his knee over the blanket but the threat hung in the air. Doctors and nurses prodding at all hours, asking questions he couldn't face.

Alex stared into his porridge, dark hair falling into his eyes and irritating him. "I'm not worth all this fuss, I'm sorry."

The hug that enveloped his was soft, Martha's perfume tickled his nose and he half wanted to lay his head on her shoulder. "Alexander you listen to me." The woman's voice trembled but she carried on. "You are worth it, you are going to get better. You're going to go to school and start living your life again. You are safe here and you come to me and George if you need anything."

"Okay," Alex replied in a hushed tone as Martha pulled away and he picked up the spoon with a deep breath. He could do this, it was only porridge.

"Eat up Alex, get your strength back."

x x x x

It was almost a week later when Lafayette barrelled into his room. The other teen had been wary of disrupting Alex too much as all the younger boy had done was eat and sleep in fitful bouts.  
"Alex! Time to rise and shine." The curtains were drawn back sharply and sunlight streamed onto Alex's face, who hissed like an angry kitten.

"Laf, it's eight am on a saturday." Alex pulled the blankets over his head. "Normal people sleep on saturdays."

"It's the rumours I've heard." Blankets are yanked off him as Laf smiles down at him, already dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. The outfit was simple yet stylish and Alex felt a small pang of jealousy as he thought of his second hand clothes. 

"We are going shopping today, dad's popped into the office so mom has declared a retail therapy session is in order."

"Shopping? What for?"

  
Lafayette raises a dark eyebrow. "Clothes Alex, we both need some and I said we'd meet up with John, that's if you'd like to?"

GIving up on getting anymore sleep Alex swings his legs over the edge of the bed. "John?"

"John Laurens, his dad works in the same office as George. Only difference is John actually likes politics." Lafayette starts rummaging in the few clothes Alex owns that Martha had washed and put away. "You two nerds should get on really well." 

Alex catches the clothes that are flung at him as Lafayette pushes him to the bathroom and ordering him to shower and meet them downstairs.

"Morning Alex," Martha greets him with a smile as she pushes another bowl of porridge at him and some toast along with the vitmains the doctor had recommended he take.

  
"M'rnin." Alex manages to mumble as he eats the breakfast. He was still taking it slowly when it came to food, his body not used to the vast amount that was avaliable to him now.

  
"Did Laf drag you out of bed?" Martha stood with her hands on her hips, for a petite woman she could look quite fierce.

"Err..no?" 

"Gibert Marquis de Lafayette!"

"Oh man, the full name." Layatte came into the kitchen, hands in his hair as he tied it tight on his head smoothing down any wisps that had managed to fly away.

"It's fine really. I was up." Alex didn't want to get anyone into trouble.

"Those circles under your eyes say different young man. Laf, Alex needs his rest, not everyone wants to get up at the crack of dawn." Martha noticed that Alex had stopped eating, fingers starting to clench around his spoon. "Still, now that we are up lets get you both some clothes and things for your room."

"Erm." Alex fidgeted in his seat. 

"You can ask Alex it's okay." Martha seemed to understand.

"Can I get a hair cut please?" His hair had become so long he was now able to tie it, and he was honestly a little fed up of the weight of it. 

"Don't fancy a magnificent bun like me?" Lafayette wiggled his head in Alex's face causing his bun to dance.

"Not yet," Alex laughed as he shoved the other boy away from him.

x x 

"Okay Alex do you want to wear those out?" Martha asked, distracted as she looked in the bags to make sure they had everything they needed.  
He ran a hand through his new shorter hair, it had felt good to get it cut even if the back of his neck was cold. Now he had more clothes than he had ever owned, including trainers, a pair of boots, a new coat, underwear (he had blushed furiously and just threw whatever he grabbed first into the basket) and some new bathroom supplies.

The plain grey hoodie and dark jeans fit much better and even Lafayette had picked out some long sleeve tops with prints that were a bit out there for Alex's tastes.

"We just need to get you a phone then you boys can go and meet John. Bring him for dinner will you I haven't seen that boy in ages."

"Which is a lie," Lafayette whispered to Alex, "John practically lives with us."

After paying for all the clothes they made their way to the electronics store as Alex tried to take it all in. He had never seen so many people in one place, so many noises and smells.   
"You okay petit frere?" Lafayette slung an arm over his shoulder.

"I guess, it's just a lot of people here." Alex couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips at Lafayette's nickname. "I don't suppose there is anyway not to let Martha buy me a phone?"

"Nope," Lafayette popped the P. "Everyone thinks that George is the one in charge, but really Martha is."

"That's right boys." Martha winked as she took the bag from the counter assisstant. "Now, i'm heading home with the bags, I'll get your phone charged and set up for you Alex. Stay close to Laf for now." She took the bags from Lafayette and handed him some money.

"For both of you." She told Lafayette as she headed home.

Alex follwed Lafayette to small cafe on the otherside of the mall, out of the way from screaming children and families rushing around. They ordered two small caramel lattes and sat waiting at a table in the corner. 

"Hey Laf," three girls walked over to them, the tallest girl with dark skin smiled and fluttered her long eyelashes. "We've missed you in debate."

"Did you now? Ladies this is Alex. Alex this is Angelica, Eliza and Peggy, the Schuyler sisters." The girl Lafayette had pointed out as Eliza smiled brightly as she said hello while nudging the other girl who gave a half hearted wave and a scowlas though she had better things to be doing. 

"Why you wasting your time with these losers?" The voice belonged to a young boy with a thin face and more freckles across his high cheekbones than should be legal, and chestnut hair that should not be that curly or glossy, (Alex refused to aknowledge the somersault his stomach performed) dressed in a shirt, trousers and braces. Following behind him was the largest teenager Alex had ever seen, the human equavilent of a bear wearing a green hand knitted beanie. 

Angelica rolled her eyes and flung her long curly hair over her shoulder. "Compared to who Laurens, you? As you're such a ladies man."

Lafayette snorted, "She's got you there."

Laurens held a hand over his heart as he gripped the back of an empty chair with a dramatic flair. "You wound me, my ego."

"Should take a beating Laurens." Angelica retorted.

"Laurens does his own beating, no one else stupid enough to help him." The large boy grinned and the others laughed. 

"Et tu Hercules?" Laurens gasped, although he laughed with the rest of them.

"Hey, if the hand fits man." Hercules sat down next to Alex. "You been stuck with Lafayette for long?"

"No, just over a week I think." Alex took a small sip of his drink.

"Will you be starting school with us soon?" Eliza asked.

Alex wasn't sure how to answer, no one had really mentioned school to him yet. Could he start? Maybe he could mention it to George and Martha, he knew he would have to at some point, but school meant putting down more roots, and roots hurt when they were torn up again.

  
"You were never that interested when I started." Laurens pointed out. 

"That's because we knew you beforehand. " Angelica tutted "and can ususally avoid you. Come on girls."

"Find me something as pretty as I am." Lafayette blew a kiss.

"They haven't got that long to shop have they?" The words slipped from Alex before he could take them back.

Everyone was quiet before they broke out into loud laughter, Lafayette pounding him on the shoulder. "Looks like we gotta watch out for you petit frere eh?"

"I'm John, this is Hercules Mulligan." Alex inclined his head as the other boy sat down, taking another sip of drink and letting the others talk around him.

x x

They sat outside the mall on the bench waiting for George to pick them up after he finished work. Alex stiffled a yawn as he pulled the hoodie around him tighter, the air had a surprising chill to it.   
"Long day?" Laurens asked to Alex's right as Lafayette played a game on his phone to the left of him, cursing under his breathe. John was leaning up against him slightly, their knees touching.

  
"Yeah, good though." It had been more fun in a long time than Alex had rememberd having. A couple of bags lay at his feet, mainly books that Lafayette had forced him to buy as well as some pens and journals for his desk. There was small cermaic turtle wrapped in tissue paper resting on top that John had bought him despite Alex's protests. A welcome to the gang present John had declared, an unhealthy obsession with turtles Hercules had moaned but no one putting up too much of a fight. It had been a day well spent, and Alex was surprised to find his stomach grumbling.

"Well, well if it's not the lady Laurens, Laffy and the senator's latest charity case."

  
"Thomas." Laurens spat as Lafayette stood up, slowly putting his phone into his pocket. 

"You want to repeat that Jefferson, or do you want to say it without your baby sitter near by?" Lafayette growled as Alex and John stood up as well. Thomas Jefferson was a small mouse like boy with a pinched face and thin light brown hair. The boy behind him however was almost as large as Hercules, both of them dressed in a manor that screamed money.

"You heard me." Jefferson stuck his nose in the air and looked at Alex as though he was something he'd muddied his spotlessley clean vintage converse on. "Is this your dads latest ploy? Take in a street urchin and get the public's sympathy?" 

"Watch what you're saying." Laurens and Lafayette stood closer to Alex, almost touching shoulder to shoulder.

"Or what?" Jefferon laughed, a high pitched nasally sound that went straight through Alex.

"I really want to punch you." Alex took a step forward but stopped when the mountain of a boy made a fist, looking all to happy at the idea of thumping Alex into the pavement. 

"Do it." Jefferson goaded. "They'll get rid of you faster than you can spit."

Alex was saved from realtiating as a car horn sounded and they heard George's voice echo across the car park, "Boys!"

"Oh, daddy's calling." Jefferon chucked darkly. "Well, for one of you anyway. Come on Adams."

  
Lafayette and Laurens helped Alex carry the bags to car. "Ignore him petit frere, Jefferson is all talk, if it wasn't for that brute John Adams he wouldn't dare say half as much."

"I'd like to knock him down a few pegs." Laurens agreed as they climbed into the back of the car. George sat in the front next to the driver, but he turned round, his smile faltering as he took sight of three angry teenagers.

"What happened?"

None of them responded and George sighed as they set off. "I'll find out eventually, you know I will."


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner was a silent frosty affair as all three boys glared at their lasagne. Alex couldn't help the knot forming in his stomach replacing the hunger he had felt earlier.

 _Charity case_.

That's all he was. A political footstep, nothing more. He'll never be anything more. It was foolish to begin to hope otherwise. They had dressed him and fed him, not because he was worth anything of substance, just pity.

"I'm going to bed." Alex stood up and didn't wait for a reponse as he stormed upstairs. George put his fork down as he turned to the two remaining boys. "Okay, what is going on?"

  
"Did something happen when you went shopping?" Martha asked worridley.

Both of them waited, the silence deafening as Lafayette finally grumbled under his breath. "We ran into Thomas Jeffereson when we were waiting for dad." He stabbed a piece of salad with his fork with more force than was necessary, his anger for Alex replacing his loyalty at keeping it a secret. 

"That prick." John winced as he realised who had swore infront of. "Sorry, but he is."

"That boy can be difficult," George answered diplomatically. His true response buired deep down, if the boy was heading in the same direction as his father than they should probably take a little bit more focus on the boy's interactions with Alex.

"Did he say anything to Alex?" 

"Called him a charity case mom, said the only reason he was here was because of the public sympathy vote."

George and Martha shared a worried look as they began to stand from the table. "We need to go speak to Alex, you two stay down here okay?"  
  
x x

Alex stormed around the room in a furious haze, his new journals and books lay unopened in the bin by the desk. The new phone lay untouched in the middle of the bed. He would not take their pity, he would not be bought.

' _You think we want you boy?' A smack to the face had Alex reeling and before he could react he was dragged through the house by his hair. Flung into the trunk of the car as darkness enclosed around him, it didn't matter how long he had shouted, voice gone by the time they let him out. He had learnt to give what was thrown to him.  
_

That had been the first home, the first people that didn't want him. 

_You think you're so smart Alexander. Lets see how smart you are if I break that fucking jaw of yours. You come into my home, eat my food you ungreatful queer._ Alex can feel the hands on him, the blinding pain in his head as an adults fist had connected with his mouth, neck snapping back with the force. Bile rises quickly and he barley manages to make it to the bathroom before he throws up in the toilet his throat burning with the force, tears streaming down his face. 

All the people who had wanted were dead. He'd seen them all die, leaving him alive and alone. He missed his mom, his missed his home and above all he missed being wanted. They had been poor on Nevis, Alex didn't have to look at his mom's bank account to understand the three jobs she worked just about put food in their mouths. It didn't matter when he had been told how much he was loved, when his mom sat and listened to what had happened to him that day.

"Alex?" There was a knock at the door but he couldn't answer. He sat, wedged between the sink and the toilet, knees drawn to his chest and head on his arms. The door ratted and Alex bit his arm to stop himself from crying out, he wanted them to come in, wanted to feel like they cared even if it was pretend but he couldn't get up. Couldn't face the rejection that he knew would come, almost as cruel as any physical blow.

"Alex, we need to come in." George put his weight into the door as it slowly gave way beneath him. 

Martha pushed past her husband, taking in the sight of the bin full of things that Alex must have bought today when they were out. Books on American politics, the founding fathers. Bright journals and ink pens. The tv on the wall was off, the bed still made, no sign that the room should be occupied by a teenager. 

"Alex?" The small hiccup from the bathroom had Martha rushing in. 

"George." Martha knelt infront of Alex and placed a hand on the back of his head. She was not prepared for the armful of teenager as Alex launched at her sobbing, forcing her to sit on the cold tiled floor. 

"Shh it's okay." Martha rubbed circles on his back. 

"No one wants me." The words were muffled in the fabric of her cardigan. 

Martha just held on tighter, she would not cry. This boy didn't need their tears, he needed their strength. "We want you Alex, we love having you here." 

"Laf told us what that boy said to you." George said as Alex pulled away from Martha, rubbing at his swollen eyes. 

"He did?" 

"Yes Alex." George sat on the floor with them as best he could in the cramped space. "I know it will take some time for you to believe us but we aren't doing this for any alterior motive."

"Then why?" Alex looked at them both, desperate to understand. 

"You deserve better Alex." Martha wiped away the tears on his cheeks with the sleeve of the cardigan. "We want you here do you hear me?" 

"The public?" Alex whispered miserably.

"I haven't made this public." George told him, "they may find out eventually but we aren't ashamed of you Alex. We haven't told anyone because it's no ones business but our own, we aren't doing this for any alterior motive and we don't want you thinking otherwise."

The three of them stood up slowly as Alex took a deep shuddering breathe, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be son." George smiled "Just come to us if you have any worries, or if this boy keeps trying to start things okay?"

"We are here for you Alex okay?" Martha gave his shoulder a quick squeaze. "Take a few moments and come back down to dinner okay? You need to eat and I'm sure John and Laf will be worried." 

They left Alex on his own and he quickly took the books and things from the bin and placed them back on his desk. The small turtle was still on there, he would never have thrown that away. He scrubbed at his eyes with the sleeve of his hoodie, he knew he needed to go back down but wasn't sure how to face everyone. It's the second time he's broken down and surely everyone was going to get a little bit bored of how wierd he was, especially when they found out that he preffered other boys to girls. He had never been ashamed of that back on Nevis, but he'd soon found out otherwise in America. It was only another secret to keep, another reason for them to get rid of him.

The phone on his bed pinged and he picked it up seeing two new text messages.

 **unknown number:** Hey Alex, it's Laf, store this number. Martha gave it to, please come downstairs and eat some food with us. (Dnt tell Martha I txt you, no phones at tble.)

Alex stored the number and opened up the other message.

 **unknown number:** This John (Laurens) Laf gave me ur numbr. U ok? I can sneak upstairs if u want to, Laf said u need 2 eat tho. sneakin msg aswell, pls cme down so I can look at ur pretty face :P x

The messaged burned into Alex's brain, he was pretty sure John was just messing around with him but his heart did a little extra thud and oh lord were those butterflies in is stomach.

Still, he found himself smiling and almost feeling happy as he went back downstairs.


	6. Chapter 6

_Two weeks later._

Alex stood in the mirror staring at his reflection almost looking unrecognizable in his school uniform, the tie tight around his neck almost like a noose. He thought about undoing it but realised it was a pointless battle, he hardly wanted to get into trouble on his first day.

  
"You look beautiful now move your ass. "Lafayette hollered out as he ran down the hallway to where Martha was waiting to take them to school on her way to the office.

He picked up his new black backpack, suprised at the weight of it as he slung it over his shoulder. Almost colliding with George in the hallway as the man was busy trying to tie his own tie. "Oh hey Alex, looking smart, ready for your first day?"

Was he? The interview that Martha had taken him on had been easy enough and the principal seemed like a friendly but stern man. He had shook Alex's hand as they had left his office as he escorted them the receptionist who would get them a list of things he would need and paperwork to be filled out. That had been on his own when classes had been running and no kids had loittered in the hallways. There would be so many more kids there now, there had been ten in his classes back on Nevis and that had been considered a large class. George patted him on the shoulder "You'll be fine Alex. You're a smart young man, come on you can't put this off forever." 

Alex fiddled with his tie as the car pulled up and Martha bid them goodbye and made them promise to call if there were any issues at all. "Lets have a look at your schedule again."  
He pulled the sheet out and showed Lafayette. He didn't need to look at it, Alex had been staring at it since he'd recieved it a week ago, the plain black font burned into his brain. 

"Okay so we have AP biology together before lunch, John and Hercules have that class as well. We can all go grab lunch together afterwards." It all sounded simple, but when Alex looked up at the large looming building he swallowed hard. Already there were just too many people.

"Come on Alex, shake a leg, you got this." Alex let Lafayette's enthusiam carry towards the doors and certain doom. 

The morning was going quite well all things considered. He had soared through maths to the point it was a little bit boring, something his teacher seemed to have picked up on. He was taking a small breather by his locker before his next class. The thundering of the footsteps behind him just a little too loud for his liking.

 _Get a grip Alex, it's going okay. Don't mess it up._ He could do this. He had no choice, he had to go school, it was what everyone expected. Alex only hoped that these kids were nicer than the others in his previous schools. So far no one had really taken any notice of him.

"Hey Alex right?" He closed his locker quickly with more force as it slammed behind him, he spun round to see Eliza peering at him.

"Oh hey, Eliza. Yeah." 

"Are you okay?" She raised a thin neat eyebrow at him and Alex relaxed the grip on the books he had been clutching to his chest. 

"Err yeah, just a little loud you know?" 

Eliza laughed, "Oh yeah, it takes a while to get used to it. Just try not to get crushed and elbow people in the ribs." Alex chuckled as they started walking, it didn't seem so bad when you had someone to do it with.

"I've got biology now with a mister Conners?" 

"Oh me to, come on we can head there together. Hope you're not tired, Conner's voice just puts you to sleep." They steered clear of the other students, no one paying them anymind. The classroom was beginning to fill as they looked for somewhere to sit. Lafayette, John and Hercules already sitting at the back, feet on their desks. John gave him a small wave and pointed to the seat next to him. 

Eliza made her way over to an empty chair and Alex started to go with her, what he really wanted was to go and sit with John. Eliza had been nice to him though and it felt rude to just walk away, besides it was only one class. They were going to have lunch soon anway, and Eliza did seem like she would be a good friend, and he could actually concentrate instead of being distracted by John's dark hair and making up patterns in his head with his freckles. Like a stupidly pretty dot-to-dot. Or the fact that John was pouting at him with puppy dog eyes. Oh good grief he'd get no work done all next to John.

"Are you going to sit down?" Eliza asked. Had he been standing there long? He went to slide in behind the desk when Jefferson nudged him out the way and snuck in with all the grace of a snake.

"Don't you have friends you can sit with." Jefferson smirks. "Go back to your place, your girlfriend Laurens is waiting," he smirks and Alex would really like nothing more that to hit it off his face, his cheeks burning at the mention of John. Alex would not be ashamed, but neither would he stand here and take it from this worm. Taller men had beaten him for less.

"Are you going to make me or do you need help for that kind of thing?" Alex goaded.

"Seats kids." Mister Conners walked into the classroom with hunched shoulders and Alex looks at Eliza, she's shaking her head gently. He stalks to the back of the class and sits next to John.

"Can I punch him yet?" 

"Not yet, atleast not in biology. Although this means you get to sit next to me, how lucky are you?"   
  
"So lucky all my dreams have come true." Alex grins and sticks his tongue out.

"Laurens stop talking. Right, listen up everyone. Page 62, reproductive organs and no laughing." Conners pointed to the board as books shuffled open. 

The lunch bell rang to signal their release as the class shuffled out like a silent horde of zombies, Eliza had not been joking as Alex tried to shake himself awake. The only thing keeping his head from thudding against his desk had been the doodles John had kept slipping him, his bag now full of them. Alex couldn't draw to save his life, so he wrote sarcastic little notes and slipped them to John who at one point had to fake a coughing fit to cover his laughter. John swung and arm over his shoulder as the taller boy guided him to the canteen, Lafayette and Hercules shadowing them.  
  
x x 

Thankfully the rest of the day went well and Alex hadn't felt like he needed to hide in his locker as he navigated the corridors and his classes. He finally managed to get to sit next to Eliza in last period, who it turns out was almost as distracting as John with her witty remarks and turn of phrases. They had only been told to shut up once, and had to stop looking at each other if they didn't want to dissolve into giggles. 

Alex and Lafayette made it home together, the house empty as George and Martha were still at work. Lafayette raided the fridge as he threw an apple at Alex. "Xbox?"

"I've got homework." Alex protested as Lafayette grabbed his arm and marched him upstairs. 

"You are such a nerd petit frere. Fine, I'll play xbox, you can do homework and give me tips. I'm stuck in this dungeon and it's driving me insane." Between texting John at how bad Laf was at the game and actually helping Laf and starting on his own homework, fanning it out on Lafayette's bed and flitting from book to book he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

It was pretty much how their days passed much to the delight of everyone, Alex was settling in as though he had always been at the Washingtons. Books spread over the dining room table as he anguished over his assignments or sat playing games with Lafayette, his desk was more of filing system that only Alex seemed understand than somewhere he actually worked. George was starting to become concerened over the boy's safety they way they stacked and leaned. Alex was still quick to startle, loud sudden noises and large crowds could overwhelm his easily if he was overtired or distracted, but he was trying to cope, pushing it as far down as he could and sticking a smile on his face.

Sleep still did not come to Alex straight away, but he had found another night owl and he and John spent most nights texting and video calling. Hushed conversations in the middle of the night that had them blushing and stifling their giggles. John would more than likely be the first to fall asleep and Alex would hang up finding it a little bit easier to doze on and off until morning. It had almost been three months since his last panic attack.

Which is why that tuesday took them all by surprise. Alex woke up miserable as the dark clouds cast their shadows upon the ground, the news warning them of storms and heavy rain. Everyone seemed to think better than to try and talk to him, the teachers handed out homework without comment as though they had long given up on the constant mood swings of teenagers and not really caring that the most arguementative student hardly uttered a word.

John had tried to talk to him though, Lafayette had been distracted by debate and Hercules had football practice. John had been following Alex all morning, waiting for him after class with worried eyes and small gentle touches. It was too much, Alex didn't deserve this, John didn't deserve Alex's shitty and broken attitude. 

"Alex, come on I'm just saying that you should call Martha or George."

"I'm fine." Alex had bit out as he slammed his locker, the pounding in his head almost unbearable, the pain behind his eyes like an ice pick being driven into his skull. Yet the last thing he wanted to do was bother Martha or George at work, not when they had already done so much for me. He would not be an inconvenience.

"Shall I get Laf?" A soft hand on his shoulder and Alex felt his stomach knot. It wasn't fair, he liked John, liked him and he was just so broken. Would John even think of him the same if he knew? Or would he look at him in disgust like the other kids at his previous school. Would it be harsh threats or a thump to the head? Thunder rumbled near by and Alex turned on John.

"I'm FINE." He snarled before stomping off leaving behind a confused and upset friend.

The rain started mid afternoon after lunch, pelting the classroom windows. By last period the wind was beginning to howl and Alex was a powder keg about to explode. It was unfortunate timing that the person he barged in to on the way home was Thomas Jefferson. 

"Hey, watch where you're going Hamilton." 

Alex ground his teeth together, a flash of lightening making him wince and Jefferson crowed. "Scared of a storm? What are you five? Where's your girlfriends Laurens to make you feel better?"

"Shut the fuck up." He managed to choke out, not his best but words were becomming increasingly more difficult to focus on. The screaming in his head would just not stop. 

"Who do you think you are? Why don't you just go back to where you came from, oh wait you can't. They're all dead, aww poor Alex with his little dead mommy." A crowd had begun to form around them and Alex knew he should walk away. He knew that Jefferson was a stupid kid like him. He knew these things as a rational human being and yet that's not what happened. 

Alex launched himself at Jefferson like a cannonball being shot and they both thudded to the ground. "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!" His fist connected with Jefferson's nose over and over and he was dimly aware of people trying to drag him away. Dimly aware that Jefferson was shouting for someone to get this crazy fag off him. He no longer cared, it didn't matter. His mom was dead and this piece of shit had laughed. His family was dead and there was a storm and it was so loud. His eyes stung and he imagined that Jefferson had managed to get a swing in at least before they were eventually torn apart.

"STOP. THIS. NOW." The principal strode through the sea of teenagers to see Thomas Jefferson holding the sleeve of his blazer up to his nose which was dripping blood all over the floor like a tap left on. Several upper years were holding on to Alexander Hamilton, who looked dishevled, dark hair wild and his eye already beginnig to swell. 

"What on earth is going on here? Explain yourselves now!"

"Alex went pshyco," Thomas spluttered "he pounced on me. He's dangerous." The princapl regarded both boys. Alex said nothing to defend himself, just stood there panting. Thunder crashed overhead and the Hamilton boy almost shot out of his own skin as he tore himself away.

"Young man get back here this instance!" Alex didn't listen, he had to get away. He elbowed himself to the nearest fire exit and into the rain, the alarm sounded but it didn't slow him down. No one was stupid enough to stop him as raced out of the school and into the storm.

x x

It took him two hours to find his way back to house, every noise had him running for cover. Every sound crawled over his skin as the rain soaked through his uniform. His phone would not stop ringing; Lafayette, George, Martha. Eliza and Angelica were whatsapping him non stop. John alternated between phoning and texting and Alex wanted to answer but he couldn't. He was too broken. It didn't matter. He'd attacked someone else, he was going to be in so much trouble, they would send him away. Jefferson would tell everyone he was out of control. A danger. 

He stood outside the house not entirley sure how he had made it back and before he could even get his key out of his bag the door opened and George stood there, a furious glare on his face. Oh god they were going to send him back. Thunder echoed nearby and the storm was too close. Too close. Everything was too close. Too much.

"Alexander." George said stonily as the boy dragged himself into the house, dripping on the polished wooden floor as he took his blazer off, his eye swollen and starting to brusie. Martha and Lafayette were waiting as well watching him with worry and Alex couldn't look at them. They were going to send him away, what could he possibly say to them that would make this better? Why should he make this better when he knew what the punishment for this could be, nobody had listened to him before.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" 

The rain thudded against the windows, and this was how it had started back on Nevis. Then there was flood water, screaming. So much screaming. So many bodies. Alex couldn't say anything, he didn't dare, the fear had unfurled from deep inside and froze everything, he could feel his arms start to shake. 

He moved passed George silently and walked stiffly up the stairs, aware that the man had followed him. He needed to get away, get somewhere safe. 

"Alex, son what is going on?" They made their way to Alex's room and stood there. "I get a phone call from the principal. You punched Thomas and then ran off, do you know how worried we were? Son this isn't like you what's happened?"

"Doesn't matter." Alex rubbed his head, it had been throbbing all day, now it was threatening to explode.

"Doesn't matter? Alex you almost broke another boy's nose. His father is furious, now I know you two don't get on but this is not like you."

George went to lay a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" Alex screamed, voice hoarse as George watched the boy unravel before his eyes. 

"Son."

"I'M NOT YOUR SON! I'M NO ONE'S SON! THEY ALL DIED!" Alex could see his mother's eyes going lifeless as sickness overtook her, the same sickness that had almost claimed Alex while he begged her not to leave him. Then the hurricaine, the wind destroying their home like it was made of straw. He had been carted away from everything he knew and sent to America where everything is too big and too noisey and Thomas had just laughed about it. 

George took a step forward and Alex didn't just flinch, he threw his entire body against the wall with a sickening thud. "Don't- I-" Alex clenched his teeth together so hard pain shot up his jaw. "Please don't touch me." That word sent shivers up George's spine and all his suspicions had been confirmed. Someone had abused this boy, the bruises and scars, the panic attacks.

Wind sent tree branches crashing into the window as rain continued to hammer like bullets and Alex slid down the wall, hands over his ear rocking himself back and forth as he gave in to the terror. He was dimly aware he was making a keeing sound like a dying animal but he just couldn't stop.

George tore the blanket from Alex's bed and wrapped the boy up, gathering him to his chest like a child, willing to do anything to stop the terrible desperate noises Alex was making.

"What's going on? We heard shouting?" Lafayette and Martha ran into the room as Alex began to shake in George's arms, the teen's face buried in George's chest, his breathe coming in short harsh gasps. 

"Alex, you need to breathe. It's just a storm, not a hurricaine. The house will be fine, we'll be fine." George repeated the mantra, no longer sure who he was trying to reassure.

"There were so many bodies," Alex whimpered. He wanted to run, wanted to escape the noise and the fear but he couldn't, something was keeping him here and god why couldn't he get away?

"George?" Martha sat next to them, her hand on her husband's arm. She had been worrying non stop since she'd gotten home and George had told her what had happened. Then Alex hadn't turned up when Laf had gotten home. All three of them had been beside themselves, pacing the house, making phone calls. No one had seen Alex, John and Hercules had roamed the streets alternating between reporting to them or trying to contact Alex. 

They had been so close to calling the police when Lafayette had seen Alex dragging himself up the path towards the house.

"It's the storm." George explained although his eyes suggested there was so much more wrong. 

"Try these," Lafayette had managed to dig out the ear defenders he used when he went to concerts and he slipped them on to Alex's head. Some on the tenstion eased out of Alex and he relaxed slightly against George yet the small tremors still ran through his body. 

"Thank you Laf," Martha reached up and squeezed her sons hand. 

"I feel so bad." Lafayette muttered. "He'd been acting weird all day, but I was practicing for debate and I just didn't even ask. John said Alex shouted at him, but I thought it was cause John's like a mother hen with his crush an all.I heard about the fight and ran and that shit Jefferson was just shouting how Alex needs to be sent away. We..we aren't sending him away are we?"

"No." Martha and George replied in unison and Lafayette's shoulders slumped in relief. 

"Is that why you were so worried honey?" Martha asked. 

Their son nodded and took a deep shaky breathe and Martha stood up to hug him. "Oh sweetheart, this isn't on you. It's on me and your father, we should have been the ones to realise." Lafayette hugged her back before stepping away.

"I'm gonna go change and watch tv, can you please let me know if anything happens?"

"Of course we will Laf, there is money on the fireplace if you want to order a pizza." Martha watched him go, waiting until she heard the sound of his footsteps dissapear from his own room and downstairs. 

"His uncle and cousin died in a hurricaine, how could we not have realised?" Martha muttered. "I should have kept him off school, I should have made sure he was alright. He's been doing so well...I didn't think." The boy had gone to school for the whole day terrified out of his mind. 

"Martha." George called out to her, his eyes wet and she could see his jaw work. "He..god Martha he begged me not to touch him." George felt sick at thought and he held on to Alex a little tighter. Had it been more than that? Had he been sexually abused?

"Oh no..oh Alex." Martha placed a hand on the boys cheek and one tired eye opened to look at her. The other was swollen shut, a bruise going along his jaw line. 

"I-I'm so sorry." Large tears rolled down his pale cheeks and every gasp of air he took forced him to shiver. 

"No darling, it's okay."

"I shouted at George. I swore, I hit a boy at school." He looked up to see George smiling sadly down at him, Alex imagined a lot of boys his age would be embarassed to be held like this but at the moment he didn't care. He felt safe as George's heart thudded under his head, even muffled through the headphones he wore.

But he'd shouted such terrible things, he hadn't just hit a boy at school. He had sat on top of him and hadn't been able to stop. Jefferson had called him dangerous, and dangerous people got sent away.

"Please don't send me back." He sobbed, he'd beg if he had to. They hadn't hit him, after all he had done and said they were here being nice to him and Alex didn't want that to be taken away from him.

George held on tight. "You Alexander Hamilton are not going anywhere." George would mention therapy tomorrow, they'd reach out with their contacts to find someone who could help Alex. Then he was going to do some serious digging on the bastards that had touched this amzaingly smart, stubbornly brave child and then legally destroy them.

"I'm so tired." Alex whispered, he could feel it down to his very bones. He was trying so hard, writing and studying to drown out the noise in his head. Drown out the fear and the anxieties. He was tired of trying to stay afloat when he could have drowned so easily on Nevis. 

They sat in silence as the hour ticked by and Alex's breathing eventually eased out, his body relaxing in George's arms. George did not care that his muscles were becomming stiff, he was not going to move if it meant Alex could get an ounce of peace.

"Promise me George that we are not sending him back. He belongs here with us, we are not giving up on him. This is his home. We are his family." Martha gripped her husband's hand and George saw the same fiery determination on her face as when she was working a case.

"I meant every word I said to Alex, but he needs therapy. The things he's seen, how badly was his town hit? The way he describes it." George had seen the same look in the eyes of fully grown men who had seen the horrors of war, hell he'd seen the same face staring back at him in the mirror some mornings. 

"Alex was the only surviour." Lafayette interupted them looking much younger in one of George's old t-shirts a sign that he was still shaken up. He was holding his pillow and blanket loosley in his arms. It seemed only one member of this family was going to get any sleep tonight. "I can't stay downstairs. I'm not hungry. My mind is going to fast."

Martha patted the floor next to her and Lafayette needed no more encouragment as he sat bundled in his own blanket.

"He told you?" George asked.

Lafayette shook his head, loose curls bouncing wildly. "I may have done a little googling."

"Laf." Martha admonished. "That is not something a child should see."

"I know mama, I guess I just wanted to know more about the island, Alex never spoke about it but it seemed like it would be a nice place to grow up."

"How bad was it honey?" 

"The whole village was just gone." Lafayette explained. "I only found the one article, Alex was found like three days later clinging to the roof of his house, the water had ridden up that much and there were...bodies."

"None of this was in his file. If we'd known we would have gotten him some help." George looked down at the sleeping boy in his arms. So many people had failed him, let him fall through so many cracks.

"I'm sorry I never told you."

"It was never your responsibility Laf." 

"Angelica and Eliza have been texting me about the fight. Angelica is friends with one of the people who helped pull Alex away." The boy's good natured face darkened. "I wish I'd been there. I wish I could have punched him so hard he'd see stars."

"Lafayette." Martha scowled, although a small part of her was touched by her son's devotion. 

"He was laughing at Alex mama!" Alex huffed in his sleep and Lafayette lowered his voice, although the venom still remained. "Jeffereson told Alex to go back to where he came from, then laughed that he couldn't because his mom was dead. He's a racist and homophobic sack of shit." 

"How long has this been going on?" George demanded, for once not minding the profanities. 

"Since the mall. He's always making comments about Alex and where he came from, that he doesn't belong, Alex just kinda brushes him off. You see what he's like with his work it's like he doesn't have time to focus on anything else."

George stood up with the help of Martha, his knees protesting and his back aching vehemently as he placed Alex on the bed, taking the ear defenders off him as well his school shoes and tie. Seems like a call to the principal was in order, only there would be no apologies but demands to know how this had been allowed to get this far. 

"Has this kid ever said anything to you?" Martha asked as Lafayette lay down on his pillow on the floor next to Alex's bed. 

"He used to, but not for a long time. He picks on everyone though, John for being gay. Hercules for being black, well until Herc threatned to turn him upside down by the ankles. I'm going to sleep in here tonight."

George gripped the bridge of his nose. "Family meeting tomorrow as soon as you two are up. I'm calling out of the office and I am calling your school."  
  
"Please get me or your father if Alex wakes up in the night okay? Or come get us if you need anything Laf okay?" Martha worried about her son, he liked to carry the weight of other people's problems on his shoulders and he would stick by Alex no matter what.   
  
"Of course, goodnight." Lafayette bundled himself up as Martha and George retreated, leaving the hallway light on.  
  
  



End file.
